Carolyn Hax: To get help when you're sick, you might have to ask someone

11:02 PM,
Mar. 14, 2014

Written by

Carolyn Hax

Dear Carolyn: I'm a middle-age woman who has never married. The only family I'm in contact with is my 91-year-old mother who lives an hour away. But I believe I am blessed with many friends.

Recently I was knocked down by a terrible respiratory infection that kept me in bed for more than a week. I'm just now able to be up and around a bit. I know that an upper-respiratory infection does not sound so threatening, but I was really ill.

Several of my friends knew I was under the weather and I'm very sad to say not one called to ask whether I was feeling better or whether they could do anything. I really could ...